


brontide.

by CaseyJuTardis



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: ASL, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, American Sign Language, Bruce & Hulk Interaction, M/M, Mild Angst, Park Ranger Thor, hulk as an emotional support dog, park ranger au, plant biologist bruce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:15:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21877219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaseyJuTardis/pseuds/CaseyJuTardis
Summary: Dr. Bruce Banner, plant biologist, is traveling to Asgard, an originally isolationist island that recently opened it's shores to the rest of the world. Armed with a passion for all things green, he meets fellow biologists, park rangers, archaeologists, and above all- Thor Odinson. The most beautiful man he's ever met.Written for MRBB2019, art piece by Nixie_DeAngel
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Thor
Comments: 2
Kudos: 90
Collections: Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019





	brontide.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nixie_DeAngel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nixie_DeAngel/gifts).



Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, plant biologist, is  _ excited.  _ New plant life, new ecosystems,  _ new land!  _ Getting permission from Asgard’s national park service was beyond easy, since they were eager to connect to the outside world. 

Upon the announcement that the secluded island was opening its shores to the rest of the world, Bruce approached Culver University for a grant to research, and they all but  _ threw  _ the money at him. 

Bruce’s face remains glued to the window as the plane descends, one hand on Hulk, his German Shepherd support dog, the other hand on his notebook. The poor book had seen better days- several pages were sticking out of the side, the cover was covered in coffee stains, the metal spiral was skewed and weak, but Bruce kept all the information on Asgard in there. He brought a backup, just in case, but… this was  _ important.  _ All his thoughts needed to be kept together. 

The lush greenery seemed to swallow them up as the plane descends, and when Bruce finally stepped out and breathes his first breath of Asgardian air, he feels like he’s  _ home.  _

~

“You must be Dr. Banner. I’m Natasha Romanoff, head of the general education team, and your tour guide for your first day here.” Her bright red curls shone in the sunlight, contrasting sharply with the deep green surrounding them. 

“Yes, that’s me, and this is Hulk, my support dog. Thank you for being willing to show me around,” Bruce introduces, dropping a hand to Hulk’s ears. Hulk pushes his head up into Bruce’s hand gently in response. Natasha simply takes the scene in with a small, coy smile. 

“May I?” She asks, holding a hand out to Hulk’s snout. Bruce nods, and Natasha runs her fingers down Hulk’s head gently, scratching behind his ears briefly before straightening once again. “Shall we get started, Dr. Banner?” Here, she turns towards the main building in the facility- a grand building designed to look like an old-fashioned log cabin. Bruce nods, and Natasha leads the way through the grand entrance.  _ Here we go,  _ Bruce thinks. 

~

“Here’s where you’ll be staying, Dr. Banner.” Natasha opens the door to his room, allowing him to enter first. It was a modestly sized room, with the bed tucked away in the far corner. A dog bed was placed at the foot of the bed, and Hulk wastes no time making himself comfortable on it. 

“Thank you again, Ms. Romanoff.” Bruce says. Natasha nods.

“Not a problem. Dinner begins in an hour, breakfast opens at 7 AM, lunch at noon, and they all last two hours. They’re held in the mess hall, which we passed on the way to the suites,” Natasha explains, while Bruce quickly writes it all down. “If you have any questions, my number is on the main board in the employee lounge, which you have access to.” Natasha reaches into the small backpack she has on, pulling out a small stack of papers. “These are maps. This one,” She hands him the top two pages. “Is a map of the main buildings, and the campgrounds just beyond. This,” The next page which seemed to be folded together. “Is an overview of the whole park. The facility is in the south-western corner, the campgrounds reaching up to almost the middle of the park, with the rest being trails and rough forest. Watchtowers are posted every 7 kilometers along the edge of the forest, and every 10 kilometers throughout the rest of the forest. Have you met Thor yet?”

Bruce blinks at the random question, and shakes his head. “Who is Thor?”

“Thor Odinson works here at the park. He’s a descendant of the royal Asguardian family, even though Asgard isn’t a monarchy anymore. He isn’t  _ really  _ the owner of the park, but he’s seen as one of the higher-ups here. His official title is Lead Law Enforcement, and Lead Emergency Responder. You’ll probably meet him, and his brother Loki, tomorrow.” She explains.

Now, she reaches for the radio that was clipped to her belt. “Jarvis, say hello to Dr. Banner.” She speaks into the radio. After a brief moment of silence, it crackles back to life. 

“Good evening, Dr. Banner, welcome to the Asgardian National Park.” A refined, oddly british voice speaks. Bruce’s confusion must show on his face, because Natasha smiles.

“Jarvis is our lead dispatcher, our eyes in the sky. He transferred here after Asgard opened its borders, much like yourself.” She explains. “Thanks to him, we haven’t had a missing persons case since he arrived.” 

~

Once Bruce is finally unpacked, he calls to Hulk, and they both head down for dinner. The mess hall is a bustling hub of action; employees finishing their shifts and getting ready to go home, employees just arriving and getting ready for the night shift, other researchers, and many more. Bruce is overwhelmed, freezing just beyond the entranceway, before Hulk bumps into his knee, forcing him to step forward. Getting beyond that first step was always Bruce’s biggest struggle, and Hulk was big enough to force the first step- so Bruce kept moving. He selects what he wants to eat, along with something for Hulk, and makes his way to the researcher’s end of the room. Many of the tables were covered in paper, other scientists’ work, Bruce assumed, but he eventually finds a small spot where he can put his food. He sits down with Hulk by his feet, and was getting ready to dig in when a voice interrupted him. 

“You’re Dr. Banner.” Bruce looks up, confused, before spotting the source. That was… That was Tony Stark, one of the world’s greatest Archaeologists. His father was an iron monger, and Tony seemed to follow in his footsteps before suddenly veering into archaeology at the age of 16. Many interviews with the Stark heir stated him saying that his mother was supportive and his father was just confused, but Bruce read between the lines. There were no more interviews with the two Stark men after Tony began archaeology, before Howard passed. Howard had no longer spoke of Tony or the future of his company, and had seemed angry in public appearances. 

On the other end, Tony seemed to bloom in the archaeological field. His interviews shifted from his party lifestyle to his research topics, new finds in his field- he seemed  _ happier.  _ His eyes shone brightly in pictures, and he was never seen with a drink in his hand anymore. 

“And you’re Dr. Stark.” Bruce replies, smiling slightly before offering a hand to shake. Stark hesitates only briefly before shaking his hand vigorously. “I’m surprised you’re here in Asgard, Dr. Stark.”

Stark waves a hand. “ _ Please.  _ And miss all of  _ this? _ ” Here, he gestures to the floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the campgrounds and forest beyond. “Imagine what’s out there, Dr. Banner. So much undiscovered, untouched, ready to be found. And I’m the first archaeologist out here!” Stark is obviously excited, eyes alight with joy as he animatedly explains. “Don’t even get me started on  _ you,  _ Banner.” Now, his eyes are narrow with faux-suspicion. “A world-known plant biologist up and disappears for five years, before showing up in Asgard. Where were you?” He asks, head tilted curiously. They are both sitting now, Bruce’s food almost forgotten but Hulk’s long gone. Bruce’s hands clench slightly, but before he can get much further, Hulk shoves his snout into Bruce’s space, licking at his fingers. 

“Personal, ah, emergency,” is all Bruce says. Tony’s eyes flicker between Bruce, Hulk, the shaky hands, before nodding. 

“Fair enough. Happy to have you here, Dr. Banner.”

“Bruce, please. Happy to be here.”

“Tony, then.” 

Bruce nods, smile breaking out.

~

On his first day out into the forest, Bruce just wants to walk. He wants to get comfortable with the space he’s going to be working with for the next several months, and he does  _ not  _ want to get lost, even if Jarvis is manning the dispatch. He readies his pack as the sun rises, stuffing it full of water bottles, snacks for himself and Hulk, all the maps he’s received, and a few sterile bags if he finds samples he needs to have. With a final check, he heads down to breakfast. 

It’s quiet, since it’s just started. Rangers finishing the night shift are yawning their way through the doorways, researchers scrambling for the coffee after a long night bent over their notes. And there Bruce stands, Hulk by his side, soaking in the bustle. 

After a moment, Hulk nudges his leg, and they take their first step in. Bruce spots Tony after the other man flaps his arm at Bruce and Hulk, and they head over. 

“First day out?” Tony asked once they’ve settled. Hulk chows down on his kibble, and Bruce just nibbles as he nods. 

“Just getting the lay of the land for now. The furthest I’ve been out is the airport, so I’m taking it slow today.” Bruce explains, and Tony nods as he turns back to his notes. 

“Morning, Tony.” A new voice cuts in. A blond man sits across from the archaeologist, a hearing aid flashing in the light. “And good morning to you, sir.” Now the man speaks to Bruce, who offers a hand to shake.    
  


“Dr. Bruce Banner, plant biologist.”   
  


“Clint Barton, leader of the Children’s Education team, and emergency responder. I heard you were heading out for the first time today?” 

“Yes, I just arrived yesterday so I don’t want to rush.”

“If you want, I’m leading a teenager tour up through the campgrounds and back this morning. You’re welcome to join us, as long as you don’t mind them.” Clint offers. Bruce glances down at Hulk, who tilts his head slightly, making his ears flop. Bruce smiles and rubs the ears affectionately. 

“That sounds like a good start. What age range am I looking at?”

Clint laughs. “Thirteen to seventeen, so they’ll know to keep their hands off of your dog.” He points down to Hulk with the carrot in his hand. Bruce smiles. 

“Perfect.”

~

“Oh!” Clint bursts as they’re making their way to the visitors center an hour later. He throws his pack down and practically dives into it, searching for something quickly. Eventually he draws something out- it’s an odd looking flare gun. He hands it to Bruce, who accepts it hesitantly. “Flare guns, specialized for us. Get lost, and you pop that up. Jarvis will find you in 20 minutes, tops.” Clint explains. Bruce nods readily, and tucks it into the front pocket of his pack as they resume their walk. 

The group isn’t huge- 15 total teenagers, most of them leaning towards the older side of the spectrum, all eager to get started. None were dressed inappropriately for the hike, and they all eye Hulk but don’t try to pet him. 

“Alright everyone. My name is Ranger Barton, but please, call me Clint. Joining us today is Dr. Banner and his support dog, Hulk. He’s here to get a tour of the campgrounds as well.” Clint explains to the group. Bruce gives the kids a nod and a smile, and Hulk gives a doggy smile, making them all laugh. 

~

Once the group reaches the furthest part of the hike, Bruce decides to stay behind and do a little searching.

On their initial walk, most of the plant life seemed normal. Nothing particularly odd or different, but towards the end of their hike, Bruce spotted some flowers that caught his eye. They were a beautiful lapis lazuli, with a center of a bright gold. Upon first glance, the flowers no bigger than the palm of his hand. 

“Thank you again for letting me tag along, Clint.” 

“No problem, doc.” Clint assures. The kids are giving Hulk a goodbye pat, which Bruce allowed. “Always glad to show the nerds around- lord knows I’m not doing it any other way.” Bruce laughs out loud at this, clutching his stomach. 

~

He’s enjoying the quiet, leaning against a tree as Hulk snuffles around the underbrush, when they both hear someone approaching.  _ Three  _ someones, as Bruce discovers. Three men, all well-built and dragging logs wrapped in chains behind them. Hulk wrestles his way out of the brush, tumbling onto the trail, making the three men stop. 

“Whoa, a German Shepherd? I didn’t think- oh!” Here, Bruce steps out onto the trail, making the three men draw up short. “I didn’t think anyone would be up this far- you must be Dr. Banner!” The blond white man says. He steps forward, extending a hand to shake, which Bruce reciprocates. 

“Yeah, that’s me. Sorry if I’m not supposed to be out here, I was with Ranger Barton’s tour and decided to stay behind when they turned around.”

“No problem, you’re welcome anywhere in the forest. I’m Steve Rogers, head of the firefighting team in the Park.” Steve introduces himself.

“Sam Wilson, second-in-command to Jarvis on the Dispatch team.” The black man introduces, setting the chains he was using to drag the logs down. He crouches down, glancing between Bruce and Hulk. Bruce nods, and Sam offers a hand for Hulk to sniff. 

“Bucky Barnes, lead maintenance and support child educator,” the brown-haired white man murmurs, a faint whirring sound heard as he shifts in place. Hulk pauses his greeting of Sam to look at Bucky, only briefly, before returning to Sam. 

“Pleasure to meet you all, sorry to interrupt your work.” Bruce apologizes. 

“That’s alright, we were just heading back to base. A small tree had fallen in last night’s winds, so we headed out to cut and remove it,” Sam explains. Bruce eyes the large logs the three of them are dragging incredulously. 

“That’s a small tree?” He asks, disbelief coloring his voice- making the other three men chuckle. “Make a note, Hulk- don’t get close to what they consider big trees,” he stage-whispers to Hulk. 

~

The next morning, Bruce meets him. 

He’s heading out for another walk, this time in the other direction that Clint’s tour went, when the sun catches his eye. It’s shining through the leaves, casting a tall man’s hair in a halo of gold. It takes his breath away. As the man moves on, the halo dissipates, but Bruce’s breath is still stolen- this man is ethereally beautiful, like the forests he flew over on the way onto the island, like the gold and lapis lazuli flowers he saw on his hike yesterday, like faded, crumbling golden arches that made up one of the archaeological digs he saw on his way back. 

This must be Thor.

~

Hulk needs to nudge him twice before he stumbles into his next step. 

~

“Ah, Dr. Banner, I suppose?” The black-haired waif that seems to float along next to Thor speaks first. Hulk is glued to Bruce’s side now, obviously unhappy to be near this one. “Loki Odinson, lead administrator.” Loki bows at the waist briefly. Bruce ducks his head in response, unsure how to act around him. “And this oaf is my brother-”

“Thor Odinson, lead Law Enforcement Officer, at your service, Dr. Banner.” Thor reaches out, as if for a handshake, but when Bruce reciprocates, Thor bows over their joined hands and presses his lips to Bruce’s knuckles.  _ Be still, heart.  _

“Uh, please, call me Bruce.”

~

The next time Bruce sees Thor, it’s in the center of a storm of rangers. He really can’t help but approach the storm, curiosity overpowering his need to mind his own business. When there’s a pause in the near-frantic rush of people, Bruce asks Thor what happened. There’s a missing child in the forest, and the blond seems to be in the zone- directing rangers, speaking to the frantic parents, organizing search parties. 

Sam seems to go out first with Jarvis at his hip, with Natasha, Clint, and Bucky going out soon after him. 

“There’s a method to my madness,” Thor explains, as he sends Tony, Steve, and Loki out last. “Sam and Jarvis have memorized the layout of the park, so they can maneuver it the easiest- that’s why Sam can go out alone. Natasha, Clint, and Tony are all good with children, and Steve, Bucky, and Loki know the park well.” Here, he glances at his watch. “Thirty minutes since the last team left. Now it’s my turn.”

Hulk stands suddenly at this, heading for the door. Thor glances between Hulk and Bruce, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t think Hulk was a tracking dog.”

“Neither did I.”

“Maybe you’d both like to join me? To get a look at how we work.”

“Uh, sure. Thank you.”

~

“Child found, I repeat, child found.” Tony’s voice crackles over Thor’s radio. He and Bruce both pause in their search of the campgrounds, and just listen. They really haven’t gone far from the main facility when the quiet is broken. “Here-”

“Hi, I’m Peter!” A little boy’s voice pierces the air, making the tension that was building over the last hour suddenly disappear.

“We’re on our way back to base now. Be there in twenty.” Steve speaks now, voice firm but fond. 

~

As the parents fawn over Peter, Bruce and Hulk watch as the main seven rangers reconvene. Thor grasps Loki’s forearm, bumping their foreheads together gently. Loki rolls his eyes, but doesn’t even try to pull away. 

Steve, Bucky, and Sam all huddle together, making sure Bucky’s prosthetic arm and Sam’s prosthetic leg are both functioning well. 

Natasha, Clint, and Tony all compare notes- where the child was lost, where the child was found, how long it took from disappearance to discovery. 

Bruce is in awe- it wasn’t  _ that  _ long ago that Asgard opened its shores to the rest of the world, and these people have already formed a tightly-knit team. It’s like they’ve worked together for years! 

His train of thought is interrupted by a large, but gentle hand on his shoulder. He turns, and finds the hand belongs to Thor. 

“Bruce, I wanted to hear what you thought of today’s adventure.” Thor says, voice low and calm. Bruce thinks for a moment-  _ how the hell do I put this into words?- _ before responding. 

“You guys are an amazing team. With a forest this big- Peter could have been lost for weeks, but you guys found him in hours.” Hulk butts into the conversation by leaning first against Bruce, then Thor’s legs. Thor reaches a hand down to give the dog a firm scratch behind the ears, making Bruce smile. “I’m honored to have been brought along.”

Thor smiles as well, eyes squinting in joy. “I’m glad you agreed to come with us.”

~

“Bruce,” Thor turns to Bruce one night during dinner. Bruce pauses his eating, peeking his head up and at Thor. “Are you free tonight?” Bruce nods. “Are you or Hulk scared of thunder?” Bruce shakes his head, brow furrowed in confusion. “Then could you meet me at the campground entrance in an hour? I wanted to show you something. Bring warm clothes,” Thor says, voice only slightly hesitant. Thor didn’t seem to be one to get embarrassed or ashamed- he knew what he wanted, knew his limits, knew how to feel comfortable anywhere. This was new.

After Bruce finishes eating, he goes up to his room to change, and then to the campground entrance to wait for Thor. He remembers to pack a raincoat- _ the forecast called for thunderstorms this evening, so maybe that’s what Thor was talking about?-  _ and one for Hulk as well. 

“Bruce.”

Bruce perks up, turning to the sound of Thor’s voice. “Thank you for meeting me here. It’s a short walk to where I wanted to show you, I promise,” Thor explains, offering a hand to Hulk. 

“Where are you taking me, anyway?” Bruce asks as they begin their walk. The sun is just dipping behind the treeline as they step into the woods, it’s rays waving them goodbye as the clouds take over the sky. 

“An archaeological dig. It’s one that’s been on Asgard for centuries- I’ve been going there since I was a child, whenever there was a thunderstorm.” Thor describes, voice nearly giddy as the storm clouds darken the sky. “This is the first one since you arrived, and I wanted to show you.”

Bruce tilts his head in thought. They are off the main trail now, cutting through the trees on a barely-there path that only Thor seems to know. Thor suddenly pauses, tilting his head up to- 

_ Flash! _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_ Boom!  _

Bruce jumps, bumping into Thor. The first crash of thunder as the storm begins. 

~

They’re tucked under the awning of a makeshift shelter, watching the rain fall. The site is small, no bigger than Bruce’s room back at the main facility, so Thor and Hulk are surrounding him, keeping him warm. At the center of the dig, a hammer sits on top of a pedestal. Ancient, lost writing circles the hammer and pedestal, with drawings depicting various people using the hammer on the ground surrounding it. 

“Watch,” Thor breathes close to Bruce’s ear, making his heart skip. Bruce watches the hammer, as a flash of lightning lights up the night- there! As thunder rumbles across the sky, the hammer shivers. “It responds to thunder.” He whispers, eyes wide in awe. Bruce’s mind is racing, trying to figure out just  _ how  _ the hammer works. 

“Have you ever tried to lift it?” He asks. His childish curiosity wins out. Thor smiles sheepishly. 

“It’s a family tradition to try and lift it when we finish schooling. I couldn’t lift it then.” Thor explains, thunder punctuating his sentences. Hulk stands now, stepping closer to the pedestal and standing up on his hind legs. His paws hook the edge of the pedestal, and he sniffs the hammer, sneezing once before running back to the shelter. His fur is on edge, but Hulk isn’t tense or angry- it’s as if a human stuck their finger into a light socket. Bruce reaches out to smooth Hulk’s fur, and gets a static shock for his troubles. Thor laughs. 

“You haven’t tried to lift it since then?” Bruce asks fondly. Thor shakes his head, lightning flashing through the night. It casts Thor in the same ethereal glow that first caught his eye. 

“No one has ever been able to lift it since it was found.” Thor explains, voice hesitant. “Then again… no one has ever tried more than once.” He turns to the hammer, eyes dancing with curiosity. Bruce nudges Thor’s side. 

“Go ahead. I won’t tell- will you?” He asks Hulk. Hulk sneezes. “Hulk won’t tell.”

Thor laughs joyfully, before slowly standing and walking to the pedestal. A rather ominous rumble sounds as he places his hand on the handle, and Thor only hesitates for a second before attempting to lift it. 

It rises an inch off of the pedestal. 

It  _ rises.  _

Bruce is slack-jawed in awe, and Thor isn’t far behind. 

“Uh… no.” He says after a minute, setting the hammer back down. It hits the stone pedestal with a dull thud, but it seems louder in their ears, echoing for years and years. “I’m not… no.” Thor shakes his head, and sits back down next to Bruce. Bruce links an arm through Thor’s, and says nothing as he rests his head against Thor’s shoulder. 

~

The three stay in the shelter only a little while longer, in a comfortable silence, before returning to the facility, but the storm lasts well into the next morning. 

~ 

“Thor?” Bruce asks. Thor looks up from his food, face stoic until he realized it was Bruce. He breaks out into a smile. 

“Hello, Bruce. Care to join me?” He asks, patting the bench next to him. Bruce smiles and nods, setting his food down and sitting between Thor and Natasha, who was in a heated ASL conversation with Clint across the table. “They’ve been at it for over an hour now, there’s no end in sight,” Thor explains. 

“I didn’t know you knew ASL.” 

“I only really know the basics because of those two. It’s hard not to pick up on  _ something  _ with how often they argue like this.” 

Bruce catches Clint’s eye, signing “ _ You argue loudly for what's supposed to be a silent language,”  _ Clint laughs from his belly, Natasha cracking a wide smile. 

_ “This man has never been quiet in his life,” _ Natasha snarks. 

“I didn’t know  _ you  _ knew ASL,” Thor comments, voice fond. 

“My mother was hard of hearing,” Bruce explains. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had to use ASL, but it sticks with you, I suppose.” He quirks a grin, blushing slightly. 

“Will you teach me? I want to know more,” Thor asks, turning to Bruce fully. Bruce’s blush deepens. 

“Uh… sure, I can definitely try. I’ve never really taught it to someone, but…” Thor’s face lights up, and Bruce falls in love. 

~

“Close- remember that ASL sentence structure is different from spoken English. You switched a few words around.” Bruce explains. Thor’s brow furrows in concentration, and he tries again. 

A flat hand, palm out, up by his temple. His thumb touches his forehead, and he pulls his hand away slightly. “ _ Hello.” _

A flat hand, palm in, laid against his chest. “ _ My.” _

Both index fingers out, right tapping the top of the left in the form of an X-

“Stop.” Thor freezes, and Bruce shifts closer. He gently pulls both of Thor’s middle fingers out to join his index, only blushing slightly when he realizes how close he is to Thor. “Index and middle fingers are needed. Try again?”

Thor nods, and extends both of his index and middle fingers, tapping the bottom of his right middle finger on the top of his left index. “ _ Name.”  _

“There is no ‘to be’ in ASL, so don’t try to spell ‘is’, just go straight to your name.”

Thor nods again, and brings up his hand. He makes a fist but faces his fingers out, tucking his thumb between his index and middle fingers. “ _ T.”  _

He points his index and middle fingers to his left, curling the other three inwards. “ _ H.” _

He releases the fist, then seems to grab something invisible. “ _ O.” _

He crosses his index over his middle, palm out. “ _ R.”  _

He pauses here, before pressing an index finger to his ear, then bringing both fists up, fingers facing out, and shaking them back and forth once. His chosen nickname- “ _ Thunder.” _

Bruce smiles wide. “ _ Hello, Thunder. My name B-R-U-C-E.”  _ Here, he makes the sign for  _ G,  _ and moves it away from his body. 

_ “Green.” _

~

When Bruce wakes up, he knows it will be a bad day. It’s the anniversary of his mother’s passing, and some anniversaries pass peacefully. None are  _ happy- _ but some are quiet and simple. This one is bad. 

The anger is already burning his heart when he wakes. Hulk is pressed hard against Bruce’s side, head laying on his stomach to ground the scientist in the present. He runs his fingers across Hulk’s ears, breathing deeply to just  _ calm down.  _

Eventually he gets out of bed, dressing slowly and shuffling his way down to breakfast. His anger is a shroud around him, making others give him a wide berth through the crowd. He sits down and begins to eat, Tony, Clint, and Steve filtering in around him. 

“Brucie-Bear!” Tony greets, smile quickly falling when he feels the mood at the table. “What’s wrong?”

“Bad day,” is all Bruce says, fingers spasming in Hulk’s fur. Hulk leans against his leg, huffing quietly. 

Tony’s brow rises, concerned for his fellow scientist, but he says nothing other than, “Fair enough.”

Breakfast passes in relative peace, the others on their little team conversing quietly and letting Bruce be. Thor joins towards the end of breakfast, squeezing his bulk down next to Bruce and immediately turning concerned eyes to his friend. “Bruce, are you well?” He asks, voice pitched low. 

Bruce simply shrugs. “Having a bad day,” he responds, voice a near whisper. Thor tilts his head slightly, nodding in understanding. 

“If you wish to speak about it, I will always be here to listen, my friend.” 

Bruce shifts slightly, blush creeping up his face and beating back the anger that threatened to overcome him. “Thank you, Thor. It means more than you know.”

~

They’re back at the hammer pedestal, pressed close to share warmth and comfort. Bruce is studying the beautiful flowers that seem to only grow near here, and Thor braids long blades of grass together. 

Bruce scribbles down note after note in his book, everything from color to texture to weight to length. An ethereal blue glow seems to come from the center of the flower, making the base of the pedestal become washed in a blue light. 

Time passes in a peaceful silence. Thor weaves, unwinds, and reweaves braid after braid, occasionally stopping to give Hulk some attention. Eventually, as the sun begins to greet the horizon, Bruce sits back.

“It’s the anniversary of my mother’s death. It’s been 27 years since she passed away.” He explains. Thor sets down his braid and gives Bruce his full attention, tugging the scientist closer. “She was… the light of my life. My father was not kind, and she more than made up for it, but he… he took her  _ away  _ from me-” A shudder wracks his frame, and Hulk noses his way into Bruce’s lap. “I was 15 when she died. I ran away five times, and every time, I was dropped back into my father’s house, left to suffer. It’s not  _ fair!”  _ He sobs, clenching fistfuls of Hulk’s fur before burying his face into Hulk’s side. Thor curls up around both of them, his large hand soothing down the biologist’s back. 

They don’t come back until the moon is well on it’s way down. 

~

“Thor,” Bruce begins, voice hesitant. They’re exploring today- well, Bruce is exploring, Thor is making sure he doesn’t get lost. Thor hums in response, picking up a food wrapper that someone had left behind and putting it in his backpack. Bruce waits until he has the other man’s full attention before continuing.  _ It's now or never, Banner.  _ “Would you like to go on a date this weekend?” He asks. 

Thor doesn’t immediately laugh, or turn away in disgust, so Bruce counts it as a win. In fact, Thor simply tilts his head, overwhelmingly endearing. Bruce’s heart flutters. 

Thor steps closer, and intertwines their hands. “I assumed this  _ was  _ a date, my friend.” He replies, voice full of mirth. Bruce’s mouth drops open in an ‘o’, and he tightens his grip on Thor’s hand. 

“A second date, then.”


End file.
